Sixty Feet six inches
60’6”
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7
2006
Daniel was five years old when they asked if he would throw out the first pitch at our local farm club’s game.
He wanted to practice every singe day for a month to get ready. So we did!
We started at 15ft away which scared me pretty good! He may have had a “bad leg” as most called it but he had an “amazing arm.”
We got to the 60 ft mark in the yard and he easily put them in my mitt over and over.
The day came for him to walk out on that mound and I proudly walked out along side of him.
They fumbled over announcing his last name and it didn’t phase him. I told him he could do it and right away he reached back and threw the ball. It dropped about 10 ft in front of the plate...
The crowd cheered and the catcher ran straight to him to shake his hand and give him the ball. He didn’t move...
He was so disappointed he didn’t get it across the plate. He looked up at me and said “Dad? I get to throw it again don’t I ?” I reluctantly told him “No, that was it.”
It almost broke my heart because I knew he wanted to prove all that hard work he had put in to get that ball across the plate.
He was 5.. No one else expected him to get it across the plate. But He did!
We walked off the field that day and the last thing he heard was a “No...that’s it.”
He had a lot of surgeries, Botox injections, castings, and braces ahead of him after that.
2010
He made a fall ball kid pitch team 4 years later with the other kids no other team wanted. He sat the bench a lot that short season. The coach really wouldn’t give him a chance.
I sat in that dugout with him often. The other kids who sat with us eventually stopped coming. Yet, Daniel still wanted to go to every game be ready for that moment he got to play.
I told him even though we were in the dugout we had a job to do. We were a part of the team and had to encourage the others in the field.
He had yet more surgeries ahead and braces to wear.
I honestly thought that was it for him..
2016
6 years later after his last Achilles lengthening surgery at the Shriners hospital he was wearing his long clay stained baseball socks. They were the only socks that would go as high as his brace did and made it comfortable to wear.
The physical therapist asked him if he was a baseball player. He didn’t hesitate and said “Yes.”
I almost said something to him because it had been 6 years since he even stepped on to a field, but I let it go. I mean, what do I know? If he was a baseball player in his heart, then I knew that sometimes, that’s all it takes to be one.
2018
One year later in his tenth grade year he tried out for his high school team. He didn’t make it... The JV coach approached him later at school and told him he wanted him on the team but the Varsity coach in charge told him “No.”
I felt a range of emotions knowing that! I almost let all those emotions slip out of my mouth but I held them in for him.
But, he wasn’t even given the chance...
2019
In his 11th grade year he tried out again. He came home defeated with his head down. He told me he did horribly and that he might be done with Baseball. I supported him either way and told him that it was up to him.
Over the summer before his 12th grade year he was constantly at the community ballpark. He never asked me to go. He’d just go up there and throw to an empty home plate at the fence.
As his senior year started he still wasn’t sure he wanted to try out again, but he’d go out to the baseball field and practice with the team like he was part of it anyway. He just loved the game itself and wanted to be a part of it.
They had a new base ball coach this year so he decided to try out for the team the third and final time.
I told him he had already went further than I would have. I was being completely honest with him and said that he had something I didn’t have. Because, I would have given up by now...
2020
He made the team!!!
On February 29, 2020. On a day that only comes around every four years, I got to see my son throw the ball across the plate again. :)
They got three runs on him which were errors really, but he still took the blame on him self. He was pitching with a cut under his eye from a ball that hit him during warm ups. And he took a line drive in his “good leg” that left the imprint of the stitches in it! They miscounted the outs and he had to get four total...
He literally had everything working against him and was playing hurt, but he struck out the last two batters!
When he came in the coach told him to sit because he was done. It did not phase Daniel!
After the game he said to me right away that he’s ready to throw again and wanted to get back out there.
Is this a proud dad post? Sure it is, because I am proud.
But it’s really not that kind of post. It’s about what God gave Daniel and gave all of us!
He gave us a spirit that does not make us timid. It is a Spirit that gives us Power, Love and self-discipline.
That is what people refer to as Heart ❤️.
It can’t be given to you by anyone or taken away from you by anyone either.
And....
A simple “No” won’t stop it.
PLAY BALL Daniel!
We Love you and your Heart.
